Mankato

Mankato (pronounced man-KAY-toh) is a city in Minnesota, USA, that exudes a college presence with several centers of higher learning, including Minnesota State University. == Understand == A somewhat colorful community, it was home to Sinclair Lewis and the literary characters Betsy and Tacy, and such public figures as Ron Johnson and Mike Lindell, though his pillow store is no longer there. It was also the site of a darker event, the execution of 38 individuals in 1862 following the Dakota uprising, even in the midst of the Civil War. President Lincoln reduced the number of executions which had been far higher, trying to find a balance. == Get in == === By bus === Land to Air Express or Landline ground transport from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP). While Mankato Regional Airport is the second busiest in the state by take-offs and landings, it hasn't had any scheduled commercial flights for several decades. === By car === While Mankato is not served by an interstate, it is connected by two US Highways. US 169 runs north and south along the west bank of the Minnesota River, while US 14 runs east and west on the north side of the city. The Twin Cities metro area is about a 1-and-a-half-hour drive along 169, making a day trip relatively easy. == Get around == Due to the large student population, Mankato is host to a relatively robust bus network known as the Mankato Transit System. Routes are concentrated mainly between downtown, the Highland Park and Minnesota State University campus area, and the River Hills Mall commercial area, but due to the limited size of the city, extend to most destinations that aren't purely residential. A live bus tracker can be found on the city website. Route 5 extends into neighboring North Mankato. Cash fare is $1.50, with passes and tokens available for purchase at the government center. However, university students ride for free with their MavCards, and as a result drivers rarely ask for a fare or check tickets. == See == Betsy Tacy Society, 332 Center St. If you were a fan of the Betsy Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace, you will probably take a shine to this museum about the stories that were set in Mankato. However it's only open Saturdays from 1-3PM. ☏ +1 507-345-9777. == Do == Attend the Wacipi Pow wow in September at Land of Memories Park, 100 Amos Owen Ln. You can also camp and canoe here along the Minnesota River in season. Hike or cross country ski/snowshoe through hardwoods and watersheds at Red Jacket Valley Park, 19950 State Hwy 66. Daily 8AM-10PM. Ski, sled, or mountain bike at Mount Kato Ski Area, 20461 State Hwy 66. ☏ +1 507-625-3363 === Parks === Minneopa State Park, 54497 Gadwall Rd. A state park featuring a waterfall and trails and bison herd in the Minnesota River Valley. Features a windmill, nature center, and campground too. ☏ +1 507-386-3910 Riverfront Park, 309 West Rock Street. A large, modern park close to downtown that is host to many annual events, including RibFest, Mankato's Pride celebration, and 4th of July fireworks. Parking is available onsite, as well as restrooms, picnic shelter, playground, public art, and an outdoor amphitheater. Sibley Park, 900 Mound Ave. Mankato's largest city park, located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers. Features 2 playgrounds, baseball fields, a sledding hill, flower gardens, a small zoo (summer only), and paved walking trails. Every year between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, Sibley park is host to the popular Kiwanis Holiday Lights show. Tourtellotte Park, 310 E Mabel St. A large park on the north end of the city, this park is home to a large public pool, Tourtellotte Pool, and is also home to a baseball diamond, two tennis courts, and a large field of well-maintained grass and large, old trees, perfect for a picnic. Rasmussen Woods, 555 Stoltzman Rd. This large nature preserve features 150 acres of natural meadows, wetlands and woods. With parking by the Stoltzman Road entrance, park goers choose two paths to journey down. The north trail, beginning past the picnic shelter, keeps to the base of the hills in the forest leading to a pond and gazebo, passing through a shallow marsh. This trail provides excellent bird watching. The south trail begins to the west of the parking, near the mouth of a stream, and winds its way up through the bluffs and woods. While changing more in elevation, this trail is more secluded and scenic, with notable sights including a large meadow with a huge sumac growth, sandstone and limestone bluffs, and a boardwalk trail through the swampier parts of the marsh. The end of this trail will leave you close to a trestle pedestrian and bike bridge across the ravine, formerly a rail bridge, that is part of the Red Jacket Trail system leading north to Riverfront Drive and south to Red Jacket Valley Bray Park and Campground, Madison Lake. This lakeside park is 102 acres and includes a sandy beach, boat launch, cable suspension footbridge over a ravine, paved walking trails, 2 playgrounds, picnic shelters, dump station. 32 electric sites, 20 tent sites, showers, flush toilets. Daly Park and Campground Rapidan Dam Park, Rapidan. 20 primitive wooded sites near the river. == Buy == River Hills Mall, 1850 Adams Street. Monday-Saturday 10AM-9PM, Sunday 11AM-6PM. Over 100 shops, plus movie theaters. == Learn == Bethany Lutheran College Minnesota State University Rasmussen College South Central College == Eat == Yu's Chinese Cuisine, 1601 Monks Avenue. Although the decor is not high class, Yu's serves decent Chinese food. Offers a lunch buffet. $5-9 a plate. El Mazatlan, on Madison Avenue. Good Mexican food. Dos Equis on tap. Pub 500, 500 S Front Street. A great place to take the parents visiting their college student, this is one of the better restaurants in Mankato. Quality burgers and sandwiches with mediocre bowls also available. Good drinks, but closes earlier than other bars on the street. (updated Nov 2025) Pagliai's, 524 South Front Street. Excellent dine-in or carry-out pizza. Tandem Bagels, 200 E Walnut Street. Good bagels, great specialty cream cheeses. One of the few good breakfast spots in Mankato. (updated Nov 2025) Happy Chef Restaurant, 51646 US-169. You can get your greasy spoon fix here with hash browns and omelets in the morning or country fried steak for lunch. Also featuring cinnamon roll pancakes. Don't forget to say hi to the Happy Chef statue in the parking lot on the way out. Daily 6AM-2PM. +1 507-388-2953 1 Boulder Tap House (Boulder Tap, B-Tap), 291 Saint Andrews Drive (from Hwy 14/Hwy 60, exit at Victory Drive; go 1/2 mile east/northeast on Victory Drive N.; turn right at the light onto St Andrews Drive.), ☏ +1 507 344-1643, mankato@bouldertaphouse.com. M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-10PM. Sports bar with good food. Most of the wall space is covered by TVs tuned to sports channels, but sound is usually provided by music videos playing on some TVs. Not too loud. Happy Hour is M-F 3-6PM, and daily 9-11PM (dine in only): Half off most appetizers (not wings) and $1 tap beer. (updated Jun 2023) Nolabelle Kitchen + Bar, 520 S Front St Suite 500. The only upscale eatery in Mankato. Another great spot to take visiting parents or for a birthday dinner, this more expensive restaurant does have good food and drinks, but with high prices to match. (updated Nov 2025) The 507, 526 S Front Street. A small but nice bar featuring sports screens in the front and a delightful patio in the back. Good sliders, and excellent daily special and happy hour deals. (updated Nov 2025) Mom & Pop's, 629 N Riverfront Drive. A charming small ice cream shop on riverfront drive. Indoor and outdoor seating. (updated Nov 2025) Weggy's On Campus, 1600 Warren Street, Suite 13. Daily 6AM-10PM. Despite the name, it's in a strip mall next to campus, though you would be forgiven for thinking the whole thing is owned by MSU. The food is not great, but the location is hard to beat. Open for breakfast and drinks. (updated Nov 2025) India Palace, 1511 Madison Ave. One of the best restaurants in Mankato. Suitable for large groups or individual takeout, India Palace serves fantastic Indian food at reasonable prices. (updated Nov 2025) 1000 Degree Pizza, 1351 Madison Ave. High quality pizza with customization. (updated Nov 2025) == Drink == The comparatively high rate of college students in Mankato has naturally led to many places to drink publicly, mostly around Front Street in downtown. More importantly, the competition between the bars has led to a delightful weekend tradition: 2 for 1 weekends. During the school year, most of the bars more popular with the college crowd offer two drinks for the price of one for beer and rails. === South Front Street === Blue Bricks, 424 S Front Street. With a kitchen open until midnight and more seating than most, this bar will have a chill vibe on even the loudest weekend nights. Outdoor seating in the summer and decent food all year round. (updated Nov 2025) Rounders Sports Bar & Grill, 414 S Front Street. A quintessential college bar. Loud music on the weekends, though a stark lack of dancing or real dance floor. This place will always be crowded so get there early if you want a booth or want to claim a pool table that is coin operated and works 35% of the time. Participates in 2 for 1's. (updated Nov 2025) Underground Bar & Grill, 12 Entertainment Alley #1b. At the east end of Front Street, right next to the mall doors. Down a long, steep stairway, you'll find another quintessential college experience. A bar that feels as if it's in the basement of a house party. Participates in 2 for 1's. (updated Nov 2025) The 507, 526 S Front Street. A small but nice bar featuring sports screens in the front and a delightful patio in the back. (updated Nov 2025) South Street Saloon, 515 S Front Street. (updated Nov 2025) The Square Deal, 521 S Front Street. (updated Nov 2025) === North Riverfront Drive === Oleander's Saloon, 701 N Riverfront Drive. One of the oldest bars in Mankato but certainly not the most popular. Patronized by more mature Mankato residents, not necessarily a college bar. (updated Nov 2025) Wine Cafe, 301 N Riverfront Drive. Another location with more seating and a more chill vibe, this wine bar offers flights, glasses, and bottles of good wine for reasonable prices. Great place to start or end a night. (updated Nov 2025) === Coffee === Fillin' Station Coffeehouse, 630 S Front Street. One of the best coffee shops in Mankato. Staffed usually by locals and students, this coffee house offers great drinks, a limited but quality food menu, and lots of seating. A quieter spot to work on a laptop or read a book than the Coffee Hag, but still a center of community for the city. Local art is displayed and sold inside. (updated Nov 2025) Coffee Hag, 329 N Riverfront Drive. A fantastic coffee shop that acts as one of the cultural anchors of Mankato. With pride flags frequently inside and out, the Coffee Hag welcomes students and community members with a warm atmosphere and good coffee. Frequent local music acts perform here and local art is displayed inside. A walk up to-go window is located on the north side of the building. (updated Nov 2025) River Rock Coffee and Tea, 607 S Front Street. A coffee shop offering seasonal drinks and limited seating. Not the vibe for staying for hours, but a good coffee shop, nonetheless. (updated Nov 2025) == Sleep == Motel 6 Mankato, 1731 Premier Dr. One of those new generation Motel 6s that almost looks like it could be a clean room at a semiconductor facility, it is so minimalist. +1 507-345-6666 AmericInn by Wyndham Mankato Event Center, 240 Stadium Rd. Indoor pool, breakfast. +1 507-345-8011 == Go next ==